Ep 4. The Naughty Monastery, Chicksands

Time Team is a British documentary television program that follows a team of archaeologists as they work to uncover the hidden history of sites across the United Kingdom. In season 9, episode 4, titled "The Naughty Monastery, Chicksands," the team travels to a 12th-century monastery in Bedfordshire to explore its controversial past.

The site in question is the Chicksands Priory, which was founded by Robert de Builli in 1150. While the monastery was initially established as a house of Augustinian canons, it quickly gained a reputation for being a place of "carnal delights." According to historical accounts, the monks at Chicksands were known for their excessive drinking, gambling, and womanizing, leading many to refer to them as the "naughty monks."

In this episode, the Time Team sets out to uncover evidence of the monks' scandalous behavior. To do so, they first explore the monastery's cloister, where the monks would have spent most of their time in prayer and contemplation. Using ground-penetrating radar and other archaeological techniques, they search for signs of illicit activity such as secret rooms or hidden staircases.

Next, the team moves on to the main living quarters of the monastery, where they excavate the remains of the monks' dormitories and dining hall. Here, they hope to find evidence of excessive drinking and gambling, such as discarded wine bottles and gambling tokens.

As the excavation unfolds, the team discovers a number of intriguing finds that offer clues about the monks' behavior. Among these discoveries are hundreds of pottery fragments and animal bones, which suggests that the monks enjoyed luxurious meals consisting of meat, fish, and other delicacies. They also find evidence of high-quality building materials, which suggests that the monks were not only wealthy but also skilled craftsmen.

As the episode comes to a close, the team reflects on what they have learned about the controversial history of Chicksands Priory. While they may never know for certain just how "naughty" the monks really were, their excavation has shed new light on the fascinating and complex history of this ancient site.